Fast Initialization Using Seamless Rate Adaptation

1. An initialization method for multicarrier communications comprising: performing an initialization to establish a communication link at a first data rate using a first bit allocation table stored prior to the initialization and seamlessly adapting the first data rate of the communication link to a second data rate using a second bit allocation table, wherein seamlessly adapting the first data rate to the second data rate comprises providing a plurality of codewords (i) having a specified codeword size, and (ii) including a specified number of parity bits for forward error correction; transmitting or receiving a first plurality of codewords at the first data rate; changing the first data rate to the second data rate; and transmitting or receiving a second plurality of codewords at the second data rate, wherein the specified codeword size and the specified number of parity bits for forward error correction used for the first plurality of codewords are used for the second plurality of codewords to achieve a seamless change in data rate.

2. A multicarrier transceiver comprising means for performing an initialization to establish a communication link at a first data rate using a first bit allocation table stored prior to the initialization, and means for seamlessly adapting the first data rate of the communication link to a second data rate using a second bit allocation table, wherein seamlessly adapting the first data rate to the second data rate comprises providing a plurality of codewords (i) having a specified codeword size, and (ii) including a specified number of parity bits for forward error correction; transmitting or receiving a first plurality of codewords at the first data rate; changing the first data rate to the second data rate; and transmitting or receiving a second plurality of codewords at the second data rate, wherein the specified codeword size and the specified number of parity bits for forward error correction used for the first plurality of codewords are used for the second plurality of codewords to achieve a seamless change in data rate.

3. An information storage media including information stored thereon that when executed performs an initialization to establish a communication link at a first data rate using a first bit allocation table stored prior to the initialization and seamlessly adapts the first data rate of the communication link to a second data rate using a second bit allocation table, wherein seamlessly adapting the first data rate to the second data rate comprises providing a plurality of codewords (i) having a specified codeword size, and (ii) including a specified number of parity bits for forward error correction; transmitting or receiving a first plurality of codewords at the first data rate; changing the first data rate to the second data rate; and transmitting or receiving a second plurality of codewords at the second data rate, wherein the specified codeword size and the specified number of parity bits for forward error correction used for the first plurality of codewords are used for the second plurality of codewords to achieve a seamless change in data rate.